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United States Patent |
5,003,633
|
Itoh
|
April 2, 1991
|
Face protector
Abstract
There is provided a seal device for a face protector such as respirators
used in a state fitted closely to a user's face which includes a seal
member formed by using the user's face as a mold, an airtight elastic
member provided between the seal member and the face portector and an
airtight elastic member secured to the surface of the seal member on the
side of the user's face. There is also provided a face protector having
this seal device mounted on a face protector main body which is worn by a
user in a state fitted to the user's face. There is further provided a
method for forming a seal device for a face protector including steps of
heating, at a relatively low temperature, a material which is softened
when heated at the relatively low temperature and hardens at room
temperature, placing the heated and softened material on a user's face and
manually forming the material into a seal member in conformity with
contour of the user's face and cooling the seal member until it hardens,
and securing airtight elastic members on both sides of the seal member.
Inventors:
|
Itoh; Akira (Komae, JP)
|
Assignee:
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Itoh Seiki Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, JP)
|
Appl. No.:
|
422832 |
Filed:
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October 17, 1989 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
Current U.S. Class: |
2/9; 128/206.21; 128/206.24 |
Intern'l Class: |
A62B 007/10; A62B 018/00 |
Field of Search: |
128/206.12,206.21,206.24
2/206,173,424,428,425,9
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
2875759 | Mar., 1959 | Galleher, Jr. | 128/206.
|
2877764 | Mar., 1959 | Galleher, Jr. | 128/206.
|
4114197 | Sep., 1978 | Morton | 2/423.
|
4288268 | Sep., 1981 | Hartung | 2/425.
|
4296746 | Oct., 1981 | Mason, Jr. et al. | 128/206.
|
4345338 | Aug., 1982 | Frieder, Jr. et al. | 2/425.
|
4665570 | May., 1987 | Davis | 2/428.
|
4951664 | Aug., 1990 | Niemeyer | 128/206.
|
Primary Examiner: Schroeder; Werner H.
Assistant Examiner: Neas; Michael A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Diller, Ramik & Wight
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A seal device for a face protector used in a state fitted closely to a
user's face comprising:
a seal member made of a material which is rigid at room temperature and is
softened when heated at a temperature within a range from 40.degree. C. to
65.degree. C. and having a shape formed in situ against and in substantial
exact conformity with the user's face by placing the heated and softened
material of the seal member directly on the user's face in direct contact
therewith;
an airtight elastic member provided between the seal member and the face
protector; and
an airtight elastic member secured to the surface of the seal member on the
side of the user's face.
2. A seal device as defined in claim 6 wherein said face protector is a
half face mask.
3. A face protector having the seal device according to claim 6 mounted on
a face protector main body which is worn by a user in a state fitted to
the user's face.
4. A method for forming a seal device for a face protector comprising steps
of:
heating, at a temperature within a range from 40.degree. C. to 65.degree.
C., a material which is rigid at room temperature and is softened when
heated at a temperature within said temperature range;
placing the heated and softened material of the seal member directly on a
user's face in direct contact with the face and manually forming the
material into a seal member in situ against and in substantial exact
conformity with the contour of the user's face and cooling the seal member
until it hardens; and
securing airtight elastic members on both sides of the seal member.
5. A method for forming a seal device for a face protector as defined in
claim 7 wherein said material for the seal member is a shape memorizing
resin.
6. A method of forming a face protector comprising the steps of:
providing a substantially triangularly shaped seal member frame
peripherally bounding a substantially triangular opening;
the seal member frame being made of a material which is rigid at room
temperature and is softened when heated at a temperature within a range
from 40.degree. C. to 65.degree. C.;
heating the material of the seal member frame to a temperature within the
range from 40.degree. to 65.degree. C. resulting in the softening thereof;
placing the heated and softened material of the seal member frame directly
on a user's face in direct contact with the face and manually forming the
seal member material in situ against and in substantial exact conformity
with the contour of the user's face;
and cooling the seal member frame until it hardens.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a face protector, a seal device for a face
protector and a method for making such seal device and, more particularly,
to a seal device for a face protector having an improved fitness to the
user's face.
Various face protectors are used for securing safety for a person working
in an adverse or dangerous environment. For protecting the respiratory
system, for example, respiratory system protectors including a dust proof
mask, a gas mask, an air supply mask, an air respirator and an oxygen
respirator are used. For protecting eyes, for another example, protectors
including a shading protector and eye protecting glasses for welding are
used. There are also some protectors having these functions of protecting
the respiratory system and eyes combined together.
The face protectors such as these respiratory system protectors and eye
protecting glasses which are worn by users must be fitted closely to their
face and there should be no leakage between the protectors and their face.
Otherwise, the function of the face protectors would not be performed
fully and an adequate level of safety would not be secured.
A respiratory system protector in the form of a half face mask covering the
user's mouth and nose, for example, must be completely sealed in its
peripheral portion because otherwise concentration of newly supplied air
or oxygen would not be maintained at a predetermined value.
For improving seal characteristics of such half face mask, the prior art
half face mask is provided with a seal member made of an elastic material
such as rubber at the peripheral portion of the mask and, besides, masks
of many sizes are prepared for enabling the user to choose a mask of an
optimum shape and size which fits his face most closely.
Since, however, the contour and skeletal structure of the user's face
differs in minute details from one person to another, the prior art half
face mask which is adapted to fit the user's face by utilizing elasticity
of the seal member and choosing a suitable one from masks of various sizes
is still insufficient for satisfying all users of the mask in wearing the
mask in an adequately fitted state.
A safety measure is taken to cope with such situation by conducting a
fitting test for masks by a relevant organization or by conducting a mask
wearing training for persons who want to wear the masks. Thus, fitting of
face protectors is a great problem for manufacturers as well as users of
the face protectors.
For coping with the situation, it is conceivable to increase the types of
masks or manufacture a mask in conformity with the face of an individual
user. These measures however are not practicable because they will require
molds for forming masks and this will require a long period of time in
completing masks and will also be very costly.
It is also conceivable to make a mold for a mask by placing a lump of
plaster on a user's face and forming this plaster into a mold in
conformity with his face. This method however has the problems that it
takes a long time before the plaster mold hardens and that it is extremely
difficult for the user to form such plaster mold by himself without
assistance by other person.
An improvement in straps attached to these face protectors is also proposed
in addition to the improvement in the face protector themselves but a
remarkable success has not been reported yet.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a seal device for a
face protector capable of fitting a face protector to the user's face
closely regardless of difference in the contour or skeletal structure of
the user's face from one user to another.
It is another object of the invention to provide a face protector having
such seal device.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a method for forming
such seal device for a face protector.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A seal device for a face protector achieving the above described first
object of the invention comprises a seal member formed by using the user's
face as a mold, an airtight elastic member provided between the seal
member and the face protector and an airtight elastic member secured to
the surface of the seal member on the side of the user's face.
According to the seal device of the invention, the seal member is formed by
using the user's face as a mold so that the seal member has an excellent
sealing property and, besides, the space between the seal member and the
user's face and the space between the seal member and the face protector
are respectively sealed with the airtight elastic members whereby a
complete fitness of the face protector to the user's face can be achieved.
A face protector achieving the second object of the invention comprises the
seal device as described above mounted on a face protector main body which
is worn by a user in a state fitted to the user's face.
According to the invention, the face protector has a seal surface formed in
conformity with the contour of the user's face so that the face protector
can be fitted completely to the user's face regardless of the shape of the
face protector.
A method for forming a seal device for a face protector achieving the third
object of the invention comprises steps of heating, at a relatively low
temperature, a material which is softened when heated at the relatively
low temperature and hardens at a room temperature, placing the heated and
softened material on a user's face and manually forming the material into
a seal member in conformity with contour of the user's face and cooling
the seal member until it hardens, and securing airtight elastic members on
both sides of the seal member.
According to the method of the invention, a material which is softend by
heating at a relatively low temperature and hardens by subsequent cooling,
e.g., a shape memorizing resin, is heated to a relatively low temperature
of about 40.degree. to 65.degree. C. and placed on the user's face whereby
the seal member is formed by using the user's face as a mold. Then,
airtight elastic members made of such material as rubber or closed cell
urethane are secured to the seal member for providing linings thereto.
Thus, the seal device in faithful conformity with the contour or skeletal
structure of the user's face can be formed in a simple manner.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings,
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the invention in
which the seal device for a face protector according to the invention has
been applied to a half face mask;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention in which the
face protector having the seal device according to the invention has been
applied to a half face mask;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 2; and
FIG. 4 (a) through (e) is a view showing an embodiment in which the method
for forming the seal device according to the invention has been applied to
forming of a half face mask.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring first to FIG. 1, a seal device 10 for a face protector which is
applied to a half face mask consists of a seal member 11 which constitutes
a frame of the seal device 10 and airtight elastic members 12 and 13 which
are secured to both sides of the seal member 11 and sealing the space
between the seal device 10 and the user's face and the space between the
seal device 10 and a face protector main body 14 (FIG. 2).
This seal member 11 is the most important part of the seal device for
fitting a half face mask to the user's face. If the seal member 11 is not
in strict conformity with the contour of the user's face, a gap will be
formed between the seal device and the user's face notwithstanding that
the airtight elastic members 12 and 13 are provided on both sides of the
seal member with resulting difficulty in obtaining a complete sealing
between the seal device and the user's face.
It is an important feature of the invention that the seal member 11 is
formed by using the user's face as a mold. The seal member may be formed
either by using the user's face directly as a primary mold or by using a
secondary mold formed after such primary mold. In either case, the seal
member 11 is formed in strict conformity with the contour of face of each
individual user of the half face mask.
In case of forming the seal member 11 by directly using the user's face as
a mold, a material such as a conventionally used thermoplastic resin which
must be heated to a relatively high temperature for softening and which
besides requires a metal mold for forming is unsuitable for a material of
the seal member 11. As a material of the seal member 11, a material which
is softened when heated at a relatively low temperature of 40.degree. to
65.degree. C., i.e., a temperature range in which the user will not feel
too hot when the material is in contact with his face, and yet hardens at
room temperature is preferable. As such material, a shape memorizing resin
or shape memorizing alloy which is commercially available in the market
may be used. In a case of forming the seal member 11 by using a secondary
mold formed after a primary mold, not only the shape memorizing resin or
alloy but also a material such as a thermoplastic resin which is softened
at a higher termperature and hardens at room temperature may be used as
the material of the seal member 11.
In forming the seal member 11, a heated and softened material is placed on
the user's face and formed into a shape in conformity with the contour of
the user's face. The material then is cooled until it hardens and removed
from the user's face as the completed seal member 11 (a specific method
for forming the seal member 11 will be described later).
The airtight elastic members 12 and 13 are secured, by means of bonding or
the like, to both sides of the seal member 11 formed in the above
described manner in conformity with the user's face. The airtight elastic
members 12 and 13 perform the function of sealing the space between the
seal member 11 and the half face mask and the space between the seal
member 11 and the user's face. As the airtight elastic members 12 and 13,
a material which is both elastic and soft such as rubber or closed cell
resin is preferably used.
The seal device 10 consisting of the seal member 11 and the airtight
elastic members 12 and 13 is secured, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, to a face
protector main body 14 of a half face mask by bonding the airtight elastic
member 12 to the face protector main body 14 and a half face mask 15 is
thereby completed.
Since the seal member 11 of the seal device 10 is of a shape in strict
conformity with the contour of the user's face and the airtight elastic
members 12 and 13 are secured to the seal member 11, the seal device 10
can be used in complete fitness with the user's face.
The face protector 15 such as a half face mask comprising the seal device
10 can be used in complete fitness with the user's face by virtue of the
seal device 10 even if the shape of the edge portion of the face protector
main body 14 is not in conformity with the contour of the user's face.
A specific example of the method for forming the seal device according to
the invention will now be described with reference to FIG. 4 (a) through
(e).
Referring first to FIG. 4 (a), as the seal member 11, a metal or resin such
as a shape memorizing resin or shape memorizing alloy which is softened at
a relatively low temperature within a range of 40.degree. to 65.degree. C.
and hardens at room temperature is selected.
Then an annular seal member 11 corresponding roughly to the shape of a part
of the user's face to be sealed is formed from a plate-like member of the
above selected material. A plurality of such annular seal members 11 of
different sizes may be prepared so that the user can select a suitable one
from among them.
If a shape memorizing resin is used as the seal member 11, it is not
important for the shape memorizing resin to have a shape memorizing effect
but it is the property that it is softened at a relatively low heating
temperature and hardens at room temperature that is really important.
Therefore, any other material may be used as the seal member 11 if it has
such property.
Next (FIG. 4) (b), the annular seal member 11 is heated to a predetermined
temperature by, for example, immersing it in hot water until it is
softened. The user places the softened annular seal member 11 on a part of
his face F which is to be covered with the half face mask 15 and presses
the annular seal member 11 to his face F to form the seal member 11 to a
shape by using his face F as a mold. Then, he waits in this state until
the formed seal member 11 is cooled and hardens. The hardened seal member
11 has a three dimensional form which is in substantial conformity with
the user's face F (see FIG. 4 (c).
If it is necessary to adjust the shape of the thus formed seal member 11,
the user may adjust the shape by placing a warmed face towel on the seal
member 11 to allow it to conform more exactly to the contour of his face F
while having the formed seal member 11 still on his face and then wait
until the seal member 11 is cooled into the seal member 11 which fits his
face F completely.
In a case where the face protector having the seal device 10 is used in an
environment of a temperature which is higher than the softening
temperature of the material of the seal member 11, a special treatment of
the seal member 11 after the forming thereof will be necessary so as to
prevent the seal member 11 from restoring to its original annular shape or
otherwise deforming.
If the face protector is used in an environment of a temperature which is
lower than the softening temperature of the seal member 11, the face
protector can be used without subjecting the seal member 11 to any special
treatment after the forming thereof. In this case, the seal member 11 may
be subjected to the above described steps of FIGS. 4 (a) through 4 (c)
again by another user so that the seal member 11 will be reformed to
conform to the contour of the new user's face.
Upon forming of the seal member 11 in conformity with the user's face F, a
material such as rubber or closed cell urethane is cut to an annular shape
and bonded to both sides of the seal member 11 as the airtight elastic
members 12 and 13 (see FIG. 4 (d).
In the foregoing manner, the seal device 10 for the face protector is
formed.
According to the seal device 10, since a material which is softened at a
relatively low heating temperature and hardens at room temperature such as
a shape memorizing resin is used as the seal member 11, the user's own
face can be utilized as a mold for forming the seal member 11 and a
complete fitness of the seal member 11 to the user's face can be achieved.
If this seal device 10 is attached to the edge of a conventional face
protector in a sealed state through the airtight elastic member 12, the
face protector can be used in a complete fitness to the user's face.
The seal device 10 is secured to the face portector main body 14 (FIG. 4
(e) by bonding the airtight elastic member 12 to the edge of the face
protector main body 14 whereby making of the half face mask 15 as the face
protector is completed.
In the face protector having the seal device 10, the space between the face
protector and the seal device 10 is sealed airtightly by the airtight
elastic member 12 regardless of the contour of the face protector main
body 14 and the space between the seal member 11 formed in three
dimensions in conformity with the contour of the user's face is sealed
airtightly by the airtight elastic member 13 so that the face protector
can be used in a complete fittness with the user's face.
Since the seal member 11 is formed in three dimensions to conform to the
user's face, some freedom is afforded by the provision of the airtight
elastic members 12 and 13 when the face protector is worn by the user so
that an adequate sealed state can be maintained even if the user talks in
the face protector or his beard has grown.
In the above described embodiment, a half face mask is used as the face
protector and description has been made about the seal device used for
this half face mask and method for forming the same. The invention however
is not limited to the application to the half face mask but it may be
applied to also a full face mask covering not only the user's mouth and
nose but his eyes. The invention is also applicable to respiratory system
protectors including a dust proof mask, a gas mask, an air supply mask, an
air respirator and an oxigen respirator and other protectors including a
shading protector, eye protecting glasses for welding etc. which must be
used in a fitted state with respect to the user's face. The seal member
may be prepared in a plate-like or strap-like state and in a size
corresponding to the portion of the user's face which the seal device is
expected to cover.
As the seal member, any material that can be softened at a temperature
which the user does not feel is too hot when the material is placed on the
user's face and hardens at room temperture can be used. Thus, not only a
shape memorizing resin but a shape memorizing metal or other material may
be used.
The mold used for forming the seal member is not limited to the above
described embodiment in which the user's face is utilized directly as the
mold but the user's face may be used as a primary mold for forming a
secondary mold and the seal member may be formed after the secondary mold.
The mold may have the same projections and depressions as the user's face
or may have reverse projections and depressions.
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